A moment with Katniss and Rue
by bbddsp
Summary: A little scene I added to the book after Rue dies. *disclaimer*


***Immediately after the scene in which Katniss decorates Rue's body with wild blossoms she finds in the grass***

The mokingjay's stopped their song, and a low hum vibrated through the forest. I heard the hovercraft descend, and leave again with Rue's body as the mokingjay's resumed their chatter. Clutching my pack and my precious arrows to my chest, I began to make my way through the forest, searching for a small brook. Suddenly, the bush closest to me rustled. My muscles locked, and I froze, ready to defend myself or run should that prove futile. A familiar giggle sounded behind me. I cocked my head, confused. That sounded just like –

"Rue?" I whispered, still on edge. The giggle sounded again, this time slightly to my left. A shimmery being stepped out from behind the bush.

"Rue!" I exclaimed, this time somewhat louder.

"Shhh," she whispered, giggling for the third time. I looked her over. She looked much the same as she had when she died. Her form glowed and flickered, as if illuminated from behind. Her eyes sparkled, dancing mischievously. She beckoned to me, and started treading lightly through the forest. Under her feet, as she was floating a quarter of an inch above the ground, the same wild blooms I had decorated her body with sprung up gracefully. I, however, stayed rooted to the spot, dumbstruck. She turned and, noticing I wasn't following her, frowned, the corners of her mouth crinkling.

"C'mon Katniss!" She gestured, impatient. My mouth worked, but no sound came out. Oh well, I thought. There can't be any harm in this. Shrugging, I followed, being careful to avoid the blooms sprouting in her footsteps. She led me to an open space, almost like a meadow, in the middle of the forest. However, it lacked the beauty a meadow would normally have. The trees surrounding it sported dead branches and yellowing leaves. Dead leaves were spread haphazardly across the meadow, overlapping to form small piles in some places. They crunched under my feet as I stepped forward, fully entering the meadow. As a contrast to the unkempt, ugly air the meadow portrayed, beams of the setting sun, glowing a multitude of colors varying from soft red to a deep indigo, shone through the gaps in the trees. The cracked branches all shone with reddish light and the little green left in them reflected back unto the meadow. Rue stood in the center of the meadow, smiling delicately at me. Her deep brown hair shown with the sunlight, and flyaway strands caught the sunlight, giving her an uneven halo of sunlight. Her caramel colored eyes twinkled and sparkled with the rapidly fading light. She sighed deeply, and motioned for me to sit cross legged on the ground in front of her.

"Katniss," she half whispered. "Let me answer some of your questions." Steeling herself, she raised her voice. "I am dead, and you are not seeing things. However, I wanted to come thank you. When I was chosen to enter the Hunger Games, I was terrified. I knew I would not end up being the sole survivor, the conqueror of the Games, and I was scared of death. However, when I saw you, saw how you treated me, it gave me hope. I still knew I was going to die, eventually, but I was more peaceful. You treated me as an equal, as someone who should be protected, not just blindly killed. That is more than I expected. Thank you, Katniss." She fiddled with her hands in her lap nervously, and looked up at me.

"I..I-I-I-," I stuttered. Cursing under my breath at my eloquence, or lack thereof, I composed myself. "Rue, let me tell you something. When I saw you, I was instantly reminded of my sister, Primrose. She was the one who had been originally chosen for the Games, but I stepped in and took her place. I would not have been able to stand watching her die in the games. Being able to at least try to take care of you calmed me a little bit." Wondering what the game-makers were seeing, I continued bitterly, "Obviously, I failed." She took my hand and held it in her own.

"Katniss, you did not fail. In those few moments with you I felt safer than I have felt in all of my lifetime. And now," she continued, standing and dusting herself off, "I should be going. They are probably going to be waiting for me." Swallowing hard, I nodded. Getting up, I picked up my quiver and pack. She smiled softly, and said, "I will try to guide you as I can through the Games. I don't know what I will be able to do, but I will try to subconsciously push you in the right direction." I half-smiled at her gratefully. The light around her started increasing, pulsing softly. It widened, forming a beautifully crafted door of light. Wrought iron curved delicately in intricate patterns, forming moving pictures. Rue pushed open the door. Before stepping through, she turned to me. Solemnly, she raised the first three fingers of her left hand and brought them to her lips. Smiling, she held them out to me. With a last little wave, she lightly stepped through the door. Suddenly, with a flutter of wings, two mokingjay's followed her, singing my song. One of them delicately perched on the door and regally nodded its head before heading in to follow its companion. Slowly, the door started to fade. As it faded, moving pictures formed across its surface. The last picture I saw was Prim and Rue, sometime in the future, sitting together and smiling at me gently as they made flower headbands for each other's hair. A third circle of flowers lay on the floor, and carved on the dirt in it, lay the initials K.E.


End file.
